Unperfect Fairytale
by DemonMiko
Summary: Fairytales are supposed to end up 'Happily Ever After' right? Not this time. . . it's differen't this time around. Imperfection is sometimes a good thing.
1. Chapter 1

Unperfect Fairytale by DemonMiko  
  
~*~Chapter 1~*~  
  
"Mother!" An angry princess stomped to her mother's study, slamming the door after her.  
  
"Yes, Kikyo. What is it?" The widow Queen peered over a letter, obviously unconcerned about the fuming teenager before her.  
  
"What do you mean 'What is it?', you know perfectly well what it is!" Kikyo hissed. "How could you do this to me? Just send me a letter to say that I'm going to be wed to a Prince that I haven't met yet! In another country no less!"  
  
"Kikyo, sit down." She reluctantly sat down. "Your late father and I planned this arrangement ever since you were born. Whether or not you want to go is not up to you. End of discussion!"  
  
"Then why me? Why not someone else?" She refused to give up the subject.  
  
"You're going and that's final! You leave in two weeks. You are allowed to choose up to three of your ladies-in-waiting to go with you. Choose wisely." The Queen spoke in a voice that really meant 'The End'. Grumbling, the usually calm and collected princess stomped out of the room, slamming the door behind her.  
  
The Queen sighed and called for the Court Miko. She needed to know what to do with her daughter. 'She has been such a spoiled brat lately.' The Queen thought rubbing her temples.  
  
The miko quietly stepped in the room. "Yes, Your Excellency?"  
  
"Kagome, you have served my kingdom well for over five years now. So that makes you about. what? Sixteen, seventeen?"  
  
"I'm sixteen, Your Highness. The same age as the princess that just stormed out of this room. I heard the yelling and the door slam."  
  
"That's the reason I called you here. I want to know what to do with her. She's acted like this ever since her father, the King, passed away. So I wanted to know what to do with her. Any ideas?"  
  
Kagome thought for a moment. "I think that you should just send her over to Japan. She and the prince don't have to be wed as soon as she arrives there. You could just wait a bit to let them get to know each other. After that if she still refuses to marry then find her someone else and call the whole thing off."  
  
The Queen pondered over this for a bit. "That would work." Then her expression softened. "You look so much like Kikyo that sometimes I wish that you were my daughter instead."  
  
"Th-th-thank you, Your Highness. I appreciate the compliment very much. Is that all that you wanted to speak to me about?" Kagome spoke uneasily.  
  
"For now it is. Thank you for speaking with me Kagome. Now would you call down Kikyo ?"  
  
"Yes, ma'am." With that she hurried off to the princess's chambers.  
  
Kagome stepped in front of a beautifully carved wooden door. She knocked on it three times.  
  
"What is it?" The princess hissed.  
  
"Your mother, the Queen, wishes to see you again." Kagome replied.  
  
"I have no desire to see her at all!" The princess said coldly.  
  
"This is an order from the Queen not a request." Kagome could see what her Highness meant by the princess's attitude.  
  
Unexpectedly, the huge wooden door swung open. Princess Kikyo peered coldly at the messanger before her.  
  
"Tell mother that I'll be a moment." With another cold glare the door slammed shut.  
  
'I wonder what her Highness wants to speak with Kikyo about.' Kagome thought after she told the Queen that Kikyo would be down soon. She quickly made her way to the shrine. Walking through the door Kagome met a wave of incense. A sign that someone had recently come to pray. 'Now I wonder who just came.'  
  
She sat down on a mat and cleared her mind. After some time of meditation someone pried her from her peaceful state of mind. It appeared to be a messanger.  
  
"I have a message for you from the Queen." She said bowing.  
  
"What's the message?" Kagome asked gently.  
  
"Her Highness requests your presence immediately in the study." Bowing once more, she turned and walked out the door.  
  
Kagome in turn stepped out of the shrine soon after. About ten minutes later she found herself in front of the Queen's study just like before.  
  
Again she quietly stepped inside and bowed. "You wanted to see me?"  
  
"Yes I did." The Queen began.  
  
The princess, who was in the room at the moment, interrupted her. "Who do you think you are? A princess like me? You don't just walk in here without knocking first. You should be punished for that!" Her words where poison to the Queen's ears.  
  
"ENOUGH!" The furious Queen yelled. Kikyo quickly quieted down. "Kagome is the Court Miko and is welcome in here any time she wants. You have no right to speak to her in such an awful manner. You are a princess, not a commoner. What's worse is that you interrupted your mother and the Queen! Apologize!" She hissed coldly.  
  
"I'm sorry for yelling at you and interrupting the Queen. I had no right to yell at someone I don't know yet." Kikyo said bitterly.  
  
The Queen's face softened a great deal when she turned toward Kagome. "Anyway, Kagome, I want you to go with Kikyo to Japan."  
  
"To Japan, your Highness?" Kagome couldn't believe it. 'Why did she choose me to go?'  
  
The Queen spoke again. "Kikyo and I have talked about this and our idea could work. As you already know, you two are nearly identical. Lucky for me that the Prince doesn't know the Princess's name yet. Anyway, I want you to go along and keep an eye on the Prince. You will be something of a spy for me. By keeping me informed of his business, you will help me understand more about his nature. All I know about him is that he is seventeen. I need to know more than that. I understand that you are not trained as a spy but at times you will have to impersonate the Princess."  
  
"Mother, couldn't she just be called my twin sister that was sent away as a child to train to become a miko and just returned or something like that? It'll be hard for her to pretend to be me you know."  
  
"I don't know." Turning to Kagome the Queen asked, "What do you think about that idea? Is it better than you being the Princess and yourself?"  
  
"Well your Magesty, I think that the Princess's idea sounds better than me being her." Kagome said.  
  
"OK then it's settled! You and Kikyo leave in two weeks. Since you are going to be a Princess during this journey the you will need some robes, dresses, and things like that. You may also have a couple ladies-in- waitings or friends go with you. Do you have some people in mind yet?"  
  
Kagome smiled, "Yes, yes I do have two people in mind."  
  
"Oh really, who Kagome." Kikyo snickered mockingly.  
  
"That's for me to know and you to find out in two weeks." With that Kagome left.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ 


	2. Chapter 2

Unperfect Fairytale by DemonMiko  
  
~*~Chapter 2~*~  
  
About one week later the whole palace was running about in a hurry, trying to make sure Princess Kikyo and 'Princess' Kagome were ready to go within one more week. Kikyo had already yelled her head off at least fifty times during the last hour at a couple of unsuspecting maids for not having her dresses and gowns completely fitted in two hours. Kagome had received an entire wardrobe as a last minute gift from the Queen and was currently getting them fitted.  
  
"Kagome, how's that fit?" One of her best friends asked.  
  
"Umm. I think it fits a bit too tight. I like to dress simply and I told the Queen that already but she told me that she wants me to dress like a Princess and I'm not even one!"  
  
"Hmmmmm." Her friend hummed.  
  
"Mei! Are you even listening to a word I'm saying?" Kagome asked.  
  
"Yeah I'm still listening to your rambling. Can't you take a breather and be quiet for a few minutes and please stop moving? After I'm done with you I still have to help Sango and after that you both are helping me get ready. Incase you forgot, you invited us to go with you." Mei told Kagome, shaking her head.  
  
Mei has long, dark hair that reaches her waist and is usually in a ponytail with a ribbon. Her eyes are always happy and only looks evil when something's wrong. On her face is a warm smile and her personality is lovable, she gets to know people before she decides to like or hate them but she has very little patience. Around her neck she always wears a jade heart on a thin golden chain, given to her by her father when she first began training.  
  
"Hey guys! Are you done with Kagome yet?" A friendly face appeared at the door.  
  
"Oh, hi Sango. Kagome keeps complaining but I'm almoat done. She keeps saying 'too tight' or 'too loose'. It's driving me crazy! Could you please help me? This one's the last one." Mei pointed to the outfit that Kagome was wearing.  
  
"Sure. I'll help you."  
  
"Great, then help me with this over here. I can't get it just right."  
  
"Umm. Mei, Sango it fits now. Can I get out of it yet?" Kagome finally decided to speak again.  
  
"OK! My turn!" Sango yelled.  
  
"Sure thing Sango." Mei said bored.  
  
She hurried through Sango's wardrobe and they helped Mei with her's and a few hours later they were practicing in the dojo outside. Kagome practiced with her bow and arrows. Sango with her giant bone boomerang. Mei with her Japanese sword. Sure, they were going to pretend to be from the palace but they weren't going to leave their weapons behind and grow lazy with nothing to do but stich all day and talk to every single cute guy they see. Kikyo grew up like that and she grew conceited, the girls don't want to end up like her.  
  
During their break they started talking again.  
  
"Do you guys wonder what'll be like in Japan?" Sango wondered out loud.  
  
"I don't think it'll be too different from China. Right now a lot of the noble and royal people are learning the Chinese way of life. From what I learned about them so far, they love Chinese art and clothing. They are trading a lot just for our silks." Mei answered her. "So, do you know why the Queen wanted you to go along Kagome?"  
  
"Not really. She just told me that she wanted me to go to keep an eye on the Prince and inform her about his personality. That's all she told me."  
  
"Maybe she's sending you because she thinks of you as a daughter to her and she's trying to set you up instead of Kikyo." Sango said teasingily.  
  
"I don't think so Sango. If the Queen wanted to do that then she would just tell Kagome to go in Kikyo's place and keep Kikyo at the palace." Mei pointed out.  
  
"Come on guys. I don't think she's trying to set me up either. I think she just wants to know about how the Prince and Princess do as a couple." Kagome laughed at the idea but she couldn't stop thinking about it. 'Why does the Queen want me to go instead of a spy? I wonder why.'  
  
Through out the next few days Kagome couldn't stop thinking about the idea. She finally decided to go ask the Queen for herself. Her mind wouldn't let her be in peace until she found out.  
  
So, just two days before they were to leave for Japan Kagome went to speak with the queen.  
  
Kagome knocked on the door to the Queen's study.  
  
"Yes?" The Queen's voice came from within.  
  
Kagome opened the door and stepped inside.  
  
"Your Magesty, may I ask you a question?" She began shakily.  
  
"Of course Kagome! Ask away." The Queen had a smile on her face.  
  
"Well I wanted to know why you want me to go with Princess Kikyo."  
  
"Do you not want to go or."  
  
"Oh no, no, no. I want to go it's just that I want to know why you chose me and not a trained spy. I think that it's just a bit strange that's all."  
  
"I trust you more than any spy in this palace and you can keep secrets better than any of those half-wit idiots ever can. I know that you will do a good job for me and keep and eye out for Kikyo and the Prince. So is that all you wanted to ask me?" The Queen looked at her as if expecting another question.  
  
"I also wanted to ask you if I'm allowed to pack some of my miko robes to bring along with me. I don't feel too comfortable in the outfits that you gave me yet."  
  
"Go right ahead and pack whatever else you want. I just want you to wear the clothes I got for you at times when you are required to dress formally."  
  
"Thank you Your Highness. I'll be leaving now."  
  
Kagome turned to walk out the door when the Queen call out her name.  
  
"Kagome, during this trip you have to refer to me as 'Mother'."  
  
"Alright then. Thank you again, Mother." The words felt strange on her tongue but she had to get used to it within another two days.  
  
The night right before they were to head to Japan Kagome, Mei, and Sango had a little 'sleepover' in the shrine. It was well past midnight and soft shadows from the nearly full moon lay across the wooden floor. Each thought the others were asleep and so they lay still and stared at the dark ceiling deep in their own thoughts.  
  
Their trip across the sea would only last a day or two at the most but they would be staying in Japan for over half a year or until the Princess decided whether she liked the Prince or not. They didn't dread going on the journey but they did dread reaching the other side. Japan was going to be like a new beginning for them. Even Kikyo was going to be starting off with a clean slate like the rest of them, more or less so. 'What adventures awaited them on the other side of the journey? What horrors? Would they fall in love with someone they couldn't love? They would soon find out. Morning awaits them.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~ 


	3. Chapter 3

Unperfect Fairytale by DemonMiko  
  
~*~Chapter 3~*~  
  
On the day of departure, everyone in the palace woke early to make final preperations. The Princess Kikyo stormed around her chambers getting her maids to make her perfect for the journey. During the night she made a promise to herself: To make Kagome look like a fool in front of the Royal family. That way she could be sent right back to China. Then she could be deemed unworthy of being in the Court and be sent away so that Kikyo would be the center of attention once again.  
  
Sango could be found in the dojo making sure that her favorite weapon was going along for the trip. Next to the dojo at the shrine, Mei and Kagome where kneeling before the ancestors and idols, praying for a safe and fun time in Japan.  
  
Kagome, Mei, and Sango all were dressed for comfort in their robes. The robes looked like the miko ones except that they were of a different color on the bottom half of the outfit. Sango's is violet, Kagome's is forest green, and Mei's is midnight blue. Princess Kikyo and her lady-in-waiting on the other hand wore less comfortable clothes for traveling in. They each wore a short, short outfit that had no sleeves, a low neck, and a high slit on either side (think of Yura's outfit). The Princess's lady-in-waiting looked almost as cold-hearted as she did.  
  
The two groups met up on the dock. Kagome and her friends were dangling their bare feet in the cool water waiting for the Princess to get on board the ship first. Kikyo and her friend gave them mocking glances as they passed by.  
  
She then turned and said, "Since we're going to be around you three for the next couple of months you need to know a couple of things. One, I'm the real Princess so don't talk to me unless I speak to you first. I'm not my mother you know. Two, you better send my mother good reports on me. Three, stay out of my way. Got that?"  
  
Before Kagome could answer Mei sprung into action with her hidden attitude that she used very rarely. "Listen here Princess. Whether you like it or not, the Queen said that Kagome would be a Princess so she will be treated like one as well. Unless that is, you have a comment to make on that."  
  
"As a matter of fact, little miko, I do." The obnoxious one began.  
  
"Well don't." Came another voice from behind her.  
  
Kikyo slowly turned around, "Who are you to." Then she came face to face with her mother. With that she fell silent once again. "Mother, what are you doing here?"  
  
"I came to wish you a wonderful time. Now aren't you supposed to be getting on board any minute now? Did you get introduced to each other yet?" She spoke like she didn't notice Kikyo's revealing dress.  
  
"Not yet, Your Highness." Kagome replied. "Princess, this is Sango and this is Mei."  
  
"Call me 'Mother' remember?"  
  
"Wonderful," Kikyo replied sarcasticly. "Behind me is my long time friend Yura."  
  
Together the groups walked on the ship. As soon as they were out of earshot of the Queen, Kikyo hissed over at Kagome.  
  
"I'm going to stay over there so you better stay away from me. And just WHAT are you three wearing? They look positively hidious." Kikyo began to grin.  
  
Sango retorted, "Not as hidious as your sluty little outfit."  
  
Then the two groups seperated for the remainder of the time. A while later someone shouted 'land ahead'.  
  
Mei and her friends were under a canopy on deck practicing their swordsmanship. Kagome was breathing heavily from her daily practice. While she sat, she watched her friends duel. They were much more advanced than she was. Mei, she could see, had the upper hand in this fight and she won in no time at all. They each had their own special weapon that they excelled at and the sword was Mei's.  
  
Just after the duel, the ship docked again and they heard loud cheering of 'Welcome, Princess' and other things. A look over the side of the ship showed hundreds, maybe thousands, of people waving. Kikyo and Yura came up from below deck to see what the commotion was about and began waving to the crowd below. As Kagome scanned over the crowd, something caught her eye. To her left she saw a person with pure white hair. From the looks of it they were in their upper teens and next to them stood a couple dressed in royal robes.  
  
'They must be the King and Queen.' Kagome concluded. 'And that next to them is probably their son, the Prince that Kikyo is going to meet.'  
  
The ramp was lowered and a path straight through to the palace was cleared immediately. The ladies gathered together their swords, thanked the captain for the safe trip, and walked down. Kikyo and Yura were already waiting for them. On their faces, a look of pure terror when they eyed the weapons in the hands of the threesome.  
  
In front of them stood the King and Queen. They were smiling happily.  
  
The King spoke first, "We welcome you to the Shikon Islands of Western Japan. Now, which one of you lovely young ladies is the Princess?"  
  
Both Kikyo and Kagome stepped forward.  
  
"Names please." The Queen asked.  
  
"Kagome."  
  
"Kikyo."  
  
They replied quickly. Then Kikyo began the made-up story.  
  
"This is my twin as you can see. As an infant, Kagome was sent away to train to become a miko and she just recently returned home. Mother wanted her to come along so that I may have some time to bond with her after all the years of seperation."  
  
"Of course." Said the King. "At this palace we act informal so you will not need to call us by titles. Just call us by Mr. and Mrs. Kobyashi. Now we must be getting back to the palace so you two can meet the Prince."  
  
Carriages stood waiting for them. Kikyo and Yura climbed into them but Sango, Mei, and Kagome didn't get into one. Instead Mei turned to the Queen and asked a question.  
  
"Mrs. Kobyashi,"  
  
"Please call me 'Madoka' and what's your name?"  
  
"I'm Mei, Madoka. We were wondering if we could ride on horseback or walk to the palace and if you had a dojo nearby."  
  
"Of course you can ride on horseback to the palace. I got the King to bring a few extra just in case. But, the King and I wanted to get you all to the palace so that you could freshen up a bit to meet the Prince. Why do you want to go to a dojo?"  
  
"Well we wanted to practice on our swordsmanship, archery, and stuff like that if that's fine with you."  
  
They King and Queen whispered for a bit about this. During that time the carriages headed towards the palace in the distance.  
  
Turning to the three in front of them, Madoka smiled. "The dojo is right by the palace. You can all go as long as you are ready to get to dinner by 8:00."  
  
They all cried, "Thank you, Madoka!" Then they went to get a horse and rode to the palace. Smiling all the way.  
  
Their gaze landed on a giant dojo and a humongous shrine as they neared the palace. After their horses were properly put away in the stable they went to the dojo with their swords in hand.  
  
"You know what guys?" Mei asked.  
  
"What?" Sango and Kagome asked.  
  
"I think that we're going to love it here." She said with a smile.  
  
"You can say that again." Sango replied.  
  
From the inside of the dojo it even looked larger than from the outside. Mei and Sango began to duel again and Kagome just sat and watched once again. On the other side of the dojo she saw another person training. 'Hey I think that's the guy I saw earlier.' Kagome thought. Moments later, Sango, once again, lost to Mei.  
  
"Hey Kagome, do you want to practice archery now? I'm getting kinda tired of Mei whooping my butt."  
  
'Hey, where'd he go?' She looked around the dojo to find it completely empty of other people. "I think I want to go find Madoka and see where our rooms are. Don't you?"  
  
"Sure why not." Mei replied.  
  
When they entered the palace they were greeted once again by the King and Queen. Madoka showed them to their rooms and told them that they had an hour and a half to get ready for dinner. Just as she was about to leave, Kagome asked her a question.  
  
"Um.Madoka, you don't mind if we dress in these types of robes tonight do you?"  
  
"How about you wear something a little more formal for dinner tonight. You and the others need to make a good impression on the Prince." With that she turned and left.  
  
They seperated into their own rooms to take a bath and change. They were expected to dress formally so they had to go find one of their new outfits. Since they were in Japan now, they should probably wear a kimono.  
  
At 8:00 on the dot, they stepped into the dining room where they were shown to their seats. On the right side of the King sat the Queen and to the left of the King sat a boy around the age of seventen. Kikyo sat next to this person and Kagome sat next to the Queen. Yura then sat next to Kikyo and Sango and Mei sat Next to Kagome. (Confusing I know @_@)  
  
"Oh, Kagome I don't believe you've met the Prince yet." Madoka said suddenly. "Well this is Inuyasha. Don't mind him, he's not feeling quite himself tonight."  
  
He had long hair and violet eyes when he looked up at her. Quickly, he turned away to face the window.  
  
"Nice to meet you, Inuyasha. I'm Kagome and these two are my friends Mei and Sango." She smiled.  
  
'Now why does he look familiar?' She wondered to herself. 'The guy from the dojo! He's the Prince?'  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~ 


	4. Chapter 4

Unperfect Fairytale by DemonMiko  
  
~*~Chapter 4~*~  
  
Through out dinner that night, Kikyo and Yura babbled on and on to Inuyasha about nothing but themselves. He looked at his parents with a look in his eyes that just said, "Please let me get out of this punishment. Listen to them talking non-stop! If you don't I swear I'll kill them."  
  
His father, Inutaisho, sent a look right back to him that said, "Kill them and you suffer a punishment worse than death."  
  
"Inuyasha, would you mind showing them where the library is after dinner? Sango asked me earlier but I was busy." Madoka asked.  
  
"No, Mother, I don't mind showing them." He said through clenched teeth.  
  
A while later they all headed out of the dining hall. Madoka and Inutaisho went to their room while everyone except Kikyo and Yura went to the library. Luckily they both said that books were for losers and that they needed their beauty sleep.  
  
On the way there Mei spoke to the Inuyasha for the first time that day, "Prince Inuyasha," He turned to her. "do you like archery or to duel?"  
  
Inuyasha looked sort of annoyed. "Yeah, why? And don't call me 'Prince'. 'Inuyasha' is just fine. I hate fancy titles." He replied.  
  
"Well it's just that we wanted to invite you to join us for practice in the dojo tomorrow morning." Mei said.  
  
He stared at them in shock, "You guys actually like stuff like that?"  
  
"Of course we do! We were not raised in a palace like half-wit Kikyo and Yura." Sango replied.  
  
"OK then. Sounds like fun. I haven't had an opponent for ages and it would be fun to beat you guys."  
  
"You! Beat me at archery?!" Kagome questioned him.  
  
"Is that a challenge Kagome?" He had a smirk on his face.  
  
"Um. Kagome, I don't think that's a good." Sango began.  
  
"Well duh. Of course it's a challenge."  
  
"Kagome, calm down a bit will you?" Sango hissed.  
  
"No, I will not calm down. He just claimed that he could beat me at archery! ME!" Kagome yelled. "What are we betting on?" She asked as they entered the library.  
  
Mei went right to a shelf full of fairytales and fantasies, leaving Kagome and Inuyasha to argue. Sango followed right behind her to avoid the yelling. They were looking through a rather large and heavy book of fairytales. Then Inuyasha thought for a minute and he grinned, "A kiss."  
  
Sango and Mei dropped the book with a thud as they stared at Kagome, waiting for an answer.  
  
"Fine then. A kiss it is. Remember, tomorrow at 10:30." Kagome agreed. 'When I win this bet, I don't have to collect the prize.' She thought.  
  
Later that night in Sango's room they sat talking.  
  
"Kagome, I don't believe that you actually agreed to a kiss! From a guy that you don't even know. We just met him today." Mei sat braiding her hair into two strands.  
  
"Yeah, well.I thought that when I win, I don't have to collect." Kagome smiled.  
  
"Don't you mean 'if' you win?" Sango pointed out.  
  
"No I mean 'when' I win."  
  
"I think that Sango's right Kagome. You really should be saying 'if' because you're being too confident. I mean, you haven't even seen him practice yet. What makes you think that you'll win?" Mei said dropping the first braid.  
  
"Oh just have a bit of faith in me, will you."  
  
"Yeah, whatever." Sango said. Then she turned to Mei. "I bet you fifty gold coins that Kagome beats Inuyasha."  
  
"You're on." Mei finished her braid and shook Sango's hand.  
  
Turning to Kagome she said, "You better win tomorrow Kagome! I have fifty gold coins at stake here."  
  
"Don't worry Sango, I'll cream him." Then after another half hour of talking they each turned in for the night.  
  
Kagome sat on her bed writing a report to the Queen. It was the first and most important day.  
  
Dear Majesty,  
  
I am pleased to inform to you that Kikyo seems to like the Prince so far. This evening at dinner she was the only one to speak with him. His name is Inuyasha Kobyashi. When I first caught sight of him, I thought that his hair was white but I must have been seeing things. His eyes looked golden at first glance but at dinner they looked violet. It seems to me that he doesn't have much of an interest in Kikyo. He kept looking at clock every so often as if he wish for time to speed up so that he may leave. I thought that you might want to know that they aren't very formal here just like back at the palace. Everything that I have seen so far is very simple. The King and Queen here are treating each of us well and they have asked us to call them by their first names. I will write again in a week and report what else I notice.  
  
-Kagome  
  
Then she folded it up and placed it in an envelope but didn't seal it up yet just in case there was something else that she needed to write.  
  
The next morning Mei woke up first at 8:00. She usually wasn't an early riser but she got up anyway. Something that she couldn't think of was bothering her.  
  
"Well since I'm up I'm going to take a hot bath. I'll probably remember what it is later. Good thing there are hot springs around here." She mumbled.  
  
Sango woke up half an hour later to the sound of someone across the hall yelling.  
  
'That must be Kikyo.' She thought. 'She and Yura are the only ones I know that can yell this early in the morning about not having the perfect outfit on.' Then she got up and groggily went to her closet, took out her robes for the day, and went to the hot springs. At the last minute she turned back and picked up her giant boomerang.  
  
The hot springs were down the stairs and out into the garden. It was a completely covered area with two giant springs. One for the guys and one for the girls. When Sango was walking through the garden, she bumped into a guy.  
  
"Oh, I'm soooo sorry." She said mid-bow. There was something on her rear. She looked up at the guy she bumped into.  
  
He smiled nervously. "Hi, I'm Miroku." He said.  
  
"YOU PERVERT!" She yelled at him, then she wacked him over the head with her boomerang. He fell down, unconcious onto the walkway. Then she stormed off into the spring.  
  
"Hey Sango, what's wrong? You look kinda angry." Kagome stated as Sango got into the water.  
  
"Oh, hi Mei, hi Kagome. It's just that I just met the most perverted guy in the world. What did he say his name was? Oh! Miroku. He went and groped me!" She yelled. "Wait a minute, Kagome don't you need to practice your archery?"  
  
"I don't need to be there until 10:30."  
  
"Well you better win! I have fifty gold coins on the line."  
  
"Um. guys. Who's that." Mei pointed to a cute little boy around the age of five or six. He had big blue eyes and a bushy tail.  
  
"Who are you? I'm Shippo." He said with a smile.  
  
"I'm Mei, this is Sango and that's Kagome. Could you tell me what you're doing in here? This is the ladies' hot spring."  
  
"Oh yeah. I just remembered that I was sent to tell Kagome to get ready to lose."  
  
"And just who told you to tell me that?" Kagome asked.  
  
"Just my cousin."  
  
"Who's your cousin?"  
  
"Inuyasha. He's waiting at the dojo right now." He pointed outside.  
  
Kagome asked Shippo to go back outside for a bit while she got dressed. He left a fuming Kagome and stepped through the door.  
  
Kagome turned to her friends who were also getting dressed.  
  
"What time is it?" She snapped.  
  
"I'd say about 10:00 judging by the sand in the hour glass I have." Mei replied looking down.  
  
"I'll show that no-good, rotten, spoiled, pain-in-the-butt, dumb, ass-hole who's going to lose." Kagome said. She finished putting on her miko robes just as Mei finished. Sango was done way ahead of them. Then she picked up her bow and arrows and stomped out to the dojo, leaving Mei and Sango staring at their angry friend.  
  
Mei turned to Sango. "Have you ever heard Kagome curse before? Even one word?"  
  
"No I haven't. She's gotta be determined to beat Inuyasha. Get your sword and let's go. I don't want to miss the action."  
  
"Got it. Now just remember to bring the money with you Sango. You're going to pay up right then and there." Mei smiled.  
  
"Who says that I'm going to lose the bet? Why not you?"  
  
"Because I know that Inuyasha's not a normal human. He's not even human or half of one anyway. With you being a demon exterminator and all, I thought that you would have figured it out by now." Mei shrugged. "But I guess that you're going to have to figure that out by yourself." She went out the door and headed towards the dojo.  
  
"Wait!" Sango called out. "What do you mean by 'not human'? Mei! Wait up I'm coming too you know!"  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~ 


	5. Chapter 5

Unperfect Fairytale by DemonMiko  
  
~*~Chapter 5~*~  
  
As Sango and Mei neared the dojo Sango spotted someone wearing black and purple. She stopped and yanked Mei back with her.  
  
"What are you doing?" Mei hissed.  
  
"That's the guy." Sango pointed at Miroku. "He's the guy that groped me earlier!"  
  
"Who? I don't see anybody." Mei began walking toward the dojo again and true to her word, there was no one there. Sango reluctantly stepped up to the dojo. Just as she was about to slide open the door, Mei came back out.  
  
"They're not in there." Mei shook her head. "Where can they be?"  
  
"Hey look. There's an archery range over there behind the dojo." Sango pointed to a couple of targets.  
  
They began walking over and saw Kagome talking to a person with white hair that looked a lot like.  
  
"Inuyasha?!" Sango yelled.  
  
"Yeah it's me. Got a problem with that?" He flexed his claws.  
  
"No, not really. It's just that you look different that's all." Sango replied. 'So this is what Mei meant. She doesn't look surprised at all.'  
  
"I thought so." Mei mumbled to herself.  
  
"What was that?" Inuyasha asked.  
  
"Oh, just something stupid." Mei smiled. 'How did he hear me? Oh, that's how.' Then she saw two fuzzy white things on his head. "Inuyasha, are those ears real?"  
  
"Of course they're real!" Inuyasha retorted quite rudely. "What of it?"  
  
"Nothing, I just think that they're neat that's all. Moody aren't we?" Mei said.  
  
"Hey Mei, that's exactly what I said." Kagome spoke happily. "I snuck up behind him, which is surprising, and petted the ears!" Inuyasha huffed.  
  
"Right Kagome." Sango said. "Now why don't you get on with the archery?" She turned around and went face to face with that pervert Miroku.  
  
"What are you doing here?" She asked.  
  
"I should be the one asking that question." He replied. Miroku noticed Sango's hand on her boomerang and started backing away. "I'm here to visit my buddy Inuyasha." Then he hurried off.  
  
Mei and Sango climbed up a giant tree and watched the contest below. From the aura that Mei sensed around it, she concluded it was sacred and a perfect place to meditate and watch. Then Shippo popped up out of nowhere.  
  
"Hi!" He looked up at Mei. "What are you doing?"  
  
"We're watching an archery contest between Inuyasha and Kagome. Sango and I have a bet and if Inuyasha wins I get fifty gold coins and if Kagome wins Sango get fifty gold coins."  
  
"Why are you against your friend?"  
  
"I'm not against her, it's just that I somehow know that Inuyasha's going to win. I can feel it." She explained.  
  
"Are you a miko?" Shippo asked.  
  
"Yes I am. So are you a kitsune?"  
  
"Yup!"  
  
"Now why don't we watch the contest." Mei shut her mouth and returned her gaze to the field. Shippo did the same and stayed quiet the entire time.  
  
"Hey look!" Sango pointed at Kagome. "She's going first."  
  
Right before she released the arrow she turned around. "Mei, remember not to use your powers and mess me up or help me."  
  
"Yeah, yeah whatever." Then she let go. The arrow soared through the air and landed just a few millimeters from the center.  
  
"Nice try Kagome, now let a pro show you how it's done." Inuyasha grinned and released an arrow. It landed dead center.  
  
"Fine then, best two out of three." Kagome said.  
  
"OK. Go ahead. You still won't win."  
  
"We'll see about that." She set up the arrow and released. This one landed right on the dot. "Bull's eye!" Kagome yelled.  
  
"I'll show you." Inuyasha shot another arrow through the air but this one was off just by a scant few millimeters.  
  
Miroku showed up under the sacred tree. "I see we have a tie. The winner of this one wins the contest."  
  
"You don't have to be a genious to know that." Sango replied.  
  
"I know. I just wanted to talk to you." Miroku looked up. "Look, I'm sorry about groping you earlier. It's just that I couldn't help it."  
  
"Course you could help it." Inuyasha yelled. "It's just that your damn perverted side couldn't."  
  
"Would you guys shut up? I'm trying to aim here." Kagome pulled back and released. It flew strait towards the center when a small breeze blew it off. The arrow ended up just a fraction of a centimeter away. Inuyasha fired his last arrow and it hit the mark on the dot.  
  
"Bull's eye!" He turned to face Kagome. "I won."  
  
'Great. Now I owe him a kiss.' Kagome gritted her teeth. "Wonderful."  
  
"You know what Kagome? I think that I'll collect my prize some other time."  
  
Back in the tree Shippo bounced up and down on the branch, chanting. "Sango lost. Sango lost. Sango lost."  
  
"Hand over the money Sango." Mei held out her hand.  
  
"Oh this?" Sango asked. She held the bag of money on the palm of her hand.  
  
"Yes that. Now hand it over. You lost the bet." Mei mad a grab for it but missed.  
  
"OK." Sango tossed it into the air and off the branch.  
  
Mei prepaired for the sound of money scattering everywhere but it never came. Instead when she peered at the ground she saw that someone had caught it. He was a demon, wolf demon to be exact, with bright blue eyes.  
  
"Did you drop this?" He asked.  
  
"Yes I did." Mei replied while glaring at a smirking Sango. Kagome walked up to the base of the tree and climbed up.  
  
"So Mei, did Sango pay up?" Kagome asked.  
  
"No. She tossed it to the ground and he caught it." Mei pointed down to the wolf demon. He was staring at Kagome. Shippo jumped off the branch and landed on the ground. He was followed by the three girls. The demon handed the money bag to Shippo. He in turn gave it to Mei.  
  
"Nice to see you again Shippo."  
  
"Great to see you too, Kouga." He replied with a fake smile. "This is Kagome, Sango, and Mei."  
  
From behind Kouga Inuyasha appeared.  
  
"What are you doing back?" He asked coldly.  
  
Kouga turned around, surprised. "I'm here because Aunt Madoka invited me."  
  
"Yeah, whatever." Inuyasha mumbled.  
  
"I'll see you later, Dog Turd." Kouga turned and left. "Nice meeting you ladies. Expecially you Kagome."  
  
"See ya Wimpy Wolf." Inuyasha turned to the girls. "Whatever you do don't speak to him."  
  
Kagome walked up to him. "We'll speak to whomever we wish." Then she grabbed Mei and Sango by the arm and dragged them to the dojo.  
  
Kikyo was walking by right then and ran up to Inuyasha.  
  
"Oh, I'm so glad to see you." She smiled.  
  
"Really?" Inuyasha asked suspiciously.  
  
"Yes. I just wanted to ask you if you would like to take a walk with me in the garden."  
  
Before Inuyasha had the chance to answer, she began to drag him off to the garden.  
  
"No, I can't. Sorry." He told her. "I have something to do in the dojo." Inuyasha turned and left. 'Like I want to spend my time with an air-head like you.'  
  
Kikyo stomped away. 'I'll have you if it kills me Inuyasha. You're mine.'  
  
Sango and Kagome were dueling when Inuyasha stepped into the dojo. Mei sat on the ground polishing her sword and thinking about what to do with her winnings. Kagome and Sango didn't notice Inuyasha but Mei did. He sat down next to Mei.  
  
"You've known Kagome for a long time, right?"  
  
"I've known her since I was five. We were trained under the same sensei." Mei kept polishing.  
  
"Nice sword. It looks like a Japanese sword with a jade dragon." Inuyasha remarked.  
  
"Um, thanks, I know that. Why did you want to know if I knew Kagome for a long time?" Mei asked.  
  
"I just wanted to know if you knew what she likes." He said after a while.  
  
"Do you like her?" Mei asked suspiciously.  
  
"No, I just wanted to get her something so that Kikyo would think I like her and leave me alone." Inuyasha explained.  
  
"So, you don't like her either. Do you?"  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Kikyo, you dumb-ass."  
  
"Not one bit."  
  
"What a shame. We're staying here for at least half a year or until Kikyo and you get married." Mei told him. She sheathed her sword.  
  
"Well. tell me what Kagome likes already." Inuyasha demanded.  
  
"Maybe I will and maybe I won't."  
  
"So, will you?" He looked hopeful.  
  
"Maybe." Mei got up and walked over to where Sango and Kagome lay exhausted.  
  
"Mei what did he want?" Kagome asked.  
  
"Just something stupid. Something very stupid." Then she began practicing with her sword, leaving her friends in confusion.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~ 


	6. Chapter 6

Unperfect Fairytale by DemonMiko  
  
~*~Chapter 6~*~  
  
It was a week later at around sunset. A figure dressed in black snuck into a deserted section of the garden, undetected by the guards. A pair of cold amber eyes darted back and forth. Hands placed readily on her diamond kadachi. Her snow white tail tipped in black trailing behind her.  
  
'Where is he?' The figure wondered furiously. 'He's late.' A noise from behind caused her to spin around and hold up her kadachi dangerously close to the newcomer's throat.  
  
"Long time no see, sister dear. I see that you're still playing with toy swords." Kouga said quietly.  
  
"That's 'half-sister' you ass-hole. And this 'toy' can slit your throat. Care for me to demonstrate?" She replied coldly, she slid her kadachi along Kouga's neck, drawing a few drops of blood.  
  
Kouga backed away slowly. "So are you going to help me or not? I need you to keep a close eye on Kagome and Inuyasha. If you discover anything, report it to me." He went straight for the main subject instead of waiting for his death sentence from his younger sister.  
  
After a few minutes of silence she responded lazily. "Oh, did you say something?"  
  
A growl rumbled from his throat from frustration. "I believe that you heard me the first time."  
  
"So, what if I don't want to do it for you. You're the one staying here not me." She turned and was about to leave.  
  
"Stop right there, Shira!" Kouga yelled angrily. "I'm your older brother and you'll do as I say."  
  
Shira glanced back at her fuming half-brother. "And what if I don't listen? You'll run to father? You're just a scared little wolf with your tail between your legs. You just want other people to do your bidding. I'm leaving. Don't call me ever again for such petty purposes or you will pay dearly." She turned around again. This time three white wolves with blue- tipped tails appeared with a scroll. They walked over to Kouga and handed him the parchment.  
  
"What's this?" He asked.  
  
"If you require my aid then this is my list of demands. Meet them all and I'll assist you. Fail and you'll be the one spying."  
  
Kouga read the list quickly. "Two regular kadachis- hand made with initals, top quality ~ two days ~, four elemental kittens- one of each element- fire, water, earth, and wind ~ one and a half weeks ~, and a blind date (1) demon: fox, dog, or wolf (2) long hair and no eyeliner (3) must be suitable- for me! (4) has to be of noble or royal status ~ six months ~. Failure to complete the requests within the time limit will yeild dangerous results."  
  
Shira looked at her brother. "Well, do we have an agreement?" She held out her hand.  
  
Kouga looked at it warily but took it. "Deal."  
  
"I'll be going now." This time Shira dissapeared into the shadows.  
  
'Why did I ask for Shira's help? Why?' Kouga hurried off to complete the demands made by his sister.  
  
_ - _ - _ - _ - _ - _ - _  
  
Kikyo and Yura spoke softly in the gardens. They seemed to be plotting something.  
  
"Why don't we just get your mother to summon them back home?" Yura suggested.  
  
"No. If I do that then we're going to look suspicious. But what if something just 'happens' to them that takes them out of the picture for good? Something like an accident. Like a demon attack."  
  
"Oh, I like. Do tell."  
  
"Later Yura. First things first, I need that necklace." Kikyo smiled to herself. 'Inuyasha's all mine and there's nothing you can do about it, miko. I will have him.'  
  
_ - _ - _ - _ - _ - _ - _  
  
Mei sighed as she completed yet another book. Sango heard her sigh.  
  
"Hey, what's the matter?"  
  
"I'll tell you what's the matter. It only 11:00 and I just finished my tenth book! There's absolutely nothing to do around here! I want some adventure. I want an exterminating job, a look around the town, something! I don't know about you, but I can't sit here any longer or else I'm going to crack. Training in the dojo is beginning to get boring. Kagome has something to do. She has to spy on Kikyo and Inuyasha so I'll bet she's not complaining." She tried to calm herself by holding her necklace but that didn't help much.  
  
"Mei, I know how you feel. I feel the same way. I'm about to blow from being bored too."  
  
"We're supposed to be going on adventures here. I say we talk go and talk to Madoka and see if we can go exterminate some demons. I could vent some of my anger that way." Sango nodded her approval and Mei rushed off to ask.  
  
On the way to the throne room she crashed into Inuyasha. "Sorry." She tried to get away as fast as she could by turning around. Inuyasha moved in front of her.  
  
"No problem. So will you tell me now?" She still hadn't told him what Kagome liked yet and he was starting to get on her last nerve.  
  
"I already told you, maybe." Then she went off into the throne room. Madoka and Inutaisho were no where to be seen. 'Just where can they be?'  
  
"Looking for someone?" A familiar voice from behind her made her jump slightly.  
  
"Yes, Inuyasha, I'm looking for your parents."  
  
"What for?"  
  
"None of your business." Mei began to search the palace again.  
  
"I know where they are." Inuaysha grinned.  
  
"Where?" Mei hissed.  
  
"I'll tell you if you tell me what Kagome likes." He reasoned.  
  
"How about you tell me where your parents are and I'll tell you one thing that Kagome likes."  
  
"Feh, better than nothing." Inuyasha grumbled. "My mom is in the kitchen baking something and I have no idea where my dad is."  
  
"Thanks." Mei turned and headed for the kitchen. "Oh, and Kagome likes flowers. Any kind."  
  
Madoka scurried around the kitchen gathering together ingredients. "Oh hi there Mei. Got a problem?"  
  
"It's not a problem but Sango and I are getting bored. Is there anything we can do in town?"  
  
"I don't know but you could go and check if you want. Just be back by dinner time." Madoka began mixing together the dry ingredients. One batch of cookies were sitting on the window sill to cool. Mei turned to leave.  
  
"Um, Madoka may I have a cookie please?"  
  
She giggled. "Of course. Take one for Kagome and Sango too." Mei picked up six of the two dozen cookies. Thanking Madoka again she left.  
  
Sango and Kagome were out in the garden with their feet in a brook. The cool water glistened in the mid-afternoon sun as it continued down stream. A delicious smell wafted through the air. To them it smelled like.  
  
"Cookies!" Kagome cried. Mei walked up to them and sat down with her feet in the stream.  
  
"Mei, some of those cookies better be ours." Sango said. Mei handed them each two cookies, smiling.  
  
"Do you guys want to go into town and explore a bit? We have nothing else to do otherwise. Besides I still need to spend my money." She stated. It was all up to Kagome. They wouldn't go without her so it was her decision.  
  
"Well. I've already sent my letter off and I've had my fill of Kikyo and dog boy for one week. So what are we waiting for?" Sango and Mei grabbed Kagome in a bone-crushing hug.  
  
"Thank you!" Sango exclaimed.  
  
"Let go! Can't.breathe!" They quickly let go. "Come on you guys, what are you waiting for? We need to get ready to go."  
  
They raced each other through the hallways and up the stairs. None of them had to change but they each filled a drawstring purse with money. Their purses had been a gift from the late King when they first arrived at the palace in China and met Kikyo. They were made from silk and had a dragon and phoenix embroidered on it along with a yin-yang symbol. Sango's was pink, Kagome's green, and Mei's black.  
  
"Wait a little bit. I forgot something." Mei ran from the hallway to find Shippo. She had grown attached to him over the past week and wanted him to go along. She found him staring out the window.  
  
"Hi there Shippo. The girls and I are going into town. Do you want to come along?"  
  
Shippo beamed. "Yes! Thank you." He latched onto her.  
  
"Come on, let's get going." She set him on the ground and went back to where her friends were waiting. Then as they were about to leave, Madoka found out that Shippo was going too she had tried to give Mei some spending money for him. Mei told her that she was more than happy to pay for whatever Shippo wanted herself but Madoka wouldn't have it. She told them either take the money or not go. Needless to say, they took the money.  
  
When they stepped into town an hour later it was full of people going from place to place. The town seemed to be having a festival of some sort. Decorations were everywhere and everyone was dressed up. The group began to browse around when Shippo began tugging on Kagome's robe from Mei shoulder.  
  
"Yes Shippo. What is it?" Kagome asked.  
  
"I think I just saw Inuyasha." He answered.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
I just love all of my reviewers! *Throws out candy  
  
I just want to let you know that my little sister helped me create my character Shira. I need another 7 origional male characters for this fic and 5 female (wolf demon) characters so if you're interested then please tell me the character's:  
  
Name:  
  
Age:  
  
Demon Type: Wolf, Dog, or Fox only please  
  
Personality: What are they like?  
  
Description: What do they look like?  
  
All of the characters are used with permission and belong to the creator. ^^ I'm only going to be borrowing them for this fic. I'm going to choose by which one's are the best developed. Not all of them will be used. Sorry about that though and thanks for all your support! ^^  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~ 


	7. Chapter 7

Unperfect Fairytale by DemonMiko  
  
~*~Chapter 7~*~  
  
Shippo grinned wickedly. "Let's spy on him." Sango nodded in agreement.  
  
"I'm going with you two." Mei turned to Kagome. "What about you?"  
  
Before Kagome could answer they saw Kouga walk up to Inuyasha and start talking. They all stared at him in confusion. Those two couldn't get along for five minutes and there they were, just standing there talking like a couple of old pals! Seeing this they rushed over to listen-in. Kagome reluctantly followed behind them. Sango and Mei started to pretend shop with Shippo. Kagome ground her teeth together and followed behind them again.  
  
"Nice to see you again Wimpy Wolf." Inuyasha said without looking at Kouga.  
  
"Same to you Dog Turd. Now where's this sword smith you told me about?"  
  
"You have to tell me who this is for first." Kouga muttered something under his breath.  
  
"What? I didn't hear you."  
  
Kouga growled softly and gritted his teeth. "I said 'It's for my sister'."  
  
He looked confused. "I never thought you liked your sister."  
  
"Believe me, I don't. So where's this sword smith?"  
  
"Don't know."  
  
Kouga glared at him. "What do you mean by 'don't know'?!"  
  
"That's what I mean." Inuyasha hissed back.  
  
Before Kouga could yell at Inuyasha for being an ass-hole a three-eyed cow walked by. An old man was chasing the cow.  
  
"Oh look Kouga. You asked where the sword smith was and here he is." Inuyasha gestured toward the old man.  
  
"What?! You've got to be kidding me! He's just an old man!"  
  
The old man eyed Kouga then Inuyasha. "My name is Toutou-sai. Is this insolent whelp the one that I'm supposed to help?"  
  
"Who are you calling an 'insolent whelp'?" Kouga seethed.  
  
"So what do you want from me?"  
  
"He wants two kodachis with the name Shira engraved into the sheath." Inuyasha turned and said, "I'll leave you guys to talk out the details."  
  
Sango and Kagome turned to Shippo, "Who is Shira?"  
  
Mei was nowhere to be seen. Knowing her she could be just about anywhere so there was no use in looking for her. Shippo looked up at the two and smiled innocently.  
  
Again they asked, "Who is Shira?" And as an after thought, "Where'd Mei go?"  
  
Shippo stalled for a few minutes but then sighed with defeat, "Shira is Kouga's half sister."  
  
"That creep has a sister?" Sango asked.  
  
Kagome retorted, "Kouga is not a creep. He's just different. That's all."  
  
Sango eyed her friend closely, "Do you like him?"  
  
"Well. um. I." She stammered.  
  
"You don't have to say anymore." Sango sighed. "So where did Mei go Shippo?"  
  
"Um. Somewhere?" He volunteered.  
  
Kagome looked horrified, "You're telling me that she didn't even tell you where she went? Oh, that's not good. She usually tells at least one person where she goes." Sango nodded in agreement.  
  
'So where could she have gone?' Shippo wondered.  
  
_ - _ - _ - _ - _ - _ - _  
  
Mei whistled and twirled her black drawstring purse around her finger as she strolled down the busy street. She had purposely not told any of her friends where she was going. Her friends would worry about her but that wouldn't be a big problem.  
  
Inuyasha had passed the group when he left Toutou-sai and Kouga but Sango and Kagome didn't notice. He quickly handed a note to Mei and took off.  
  
The note told her to meet him by the lake in the middle of the Demon Forest. 'Now what does he want?' She pondered. "He just probably wants more info on Kagome." She mumbled.  
  
Before long, Mei entered a thick forest. She stopped underneath a tall tree and jumped up into its dense branches. All around she felt demon auras and now she felt two human auras.  
  
'Someone's coming.' Not long afterward she saw people walking below her tree. Quietly, she climbed up to the top and listened to the people below.  
  
"I'm pretty sure I saw someone walking into here a little while ago." The voice sounded like a female's.  
  
"Well why didn't you keep an eye on them then?" That voice sounded like a female's too: an angry one.  
  
'Wait a minute; I know those voices. They belong to Yura and Kikyo. So what are they doing here? This place is filled with demons and Kikyo hates the wilderness.' Mei watched them for a few more minutes. Scarcely breathing.  
  
After a few more tension filled minutes the two finally left. She let out her breath. Mei couldn't risk taking another chance like that. She rummaged through her black bag. When she felt what she was looking for she pulled it out.  
  
It was an intricately designed silver ring. The designs spelled out an old Chinese spell. Mei slipped it on her finger and chanted the words. As soon as she finished her last words she vanished from sight along with her aura.  
  
'Great it still works.' She smiled gleefully. Now all she had to do was reach the lake in the middle of the forest with no more stops.  
  
_ - _ - _ - _ - _ - _ - _  
  
Shippo, Sango, and Kagome started searching for Mei as soon as they could. After searching together for an hour they spilt up. Sango went off alone and Shippo went with Kagome.  
  
"It vanished." Kagome muttered.  
  
"Huh?" Shippo looked up at Kagome.  
  
"It vanished." She repeated.  
  
"What?" Shippo asked thoroughly confused.  
  
"Her aura."  
  
"Whose?" He thought for a minute. "Oh, Mei's! Where did it disappear?"  
  
Kagome started running to the edge of the forest. "In there."  
  
"That's the Demon Forest."  
  
She hesitated for a minute or so before taking a deep breath and walking into the forest.  
  
_ - _ - _ - _ - _ - _ - _  
  
Sango traced Mei's aura to the edge of a thick, dense forest. Before she could set foot in the forest, a familiar voice stopped her.  
  
"My beautiful Sango, are you venturing into the forest alone? It's dangerous."  
  
She clenched her fists together and prepared to strike. "It's my business and not yours Miroku."  
  
"At least let me guide you through." He pleaded. Sango turned her back to him and started walking again. As soon as she did a 'thing' was on her bottom.  
  
"GOD DAMN LECHER!" She spun around and punched him. 'I hope Kagome and Shippo are having better luck than I am."  
  
_ - _ - _ - _ - _ - _ - _  
  
When Mei walked into a clearing she took off her enchanted ring and became visible again. Inuyasha sat in a branch of a tall tree. Much like the one she was in earlier. He looked like he was asleep but Mei knew otherwise.  
  
Since she just took off her ring it would take a few minutes before her aura could be sensed by anyone. Silently she walked over to Inuyasha's tree and jumped up onto the same branch.  
  
She watched him for a couple of seconds before, "WAKE UP!"  
  
Inuyasha jumped up in surprise but calmed down when he saw Mei.  
  
"How, how, how."  
  
"How did I get up here without you knowing?" She finished for him. He nodded. "I'm not telling."  
  
He was about to answer when they spotted two people walking out of the forest across the lake. Mei slipped her ring back on and disappeared from sight. Inuyasha stayed silent.  
  
He listened to the two voices. It was Kikyo and Yura.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
I am so sorry. *Hides from angry reviewers.  
  
I took an unexpected vacation and I could bring my computer with me. ( This chapter took me forever to come up with but I hope you all like it anyway.  
  
Don't you hate it when school starts again? Well on August 11 I have to go back to school ( I live in Georgia and I have to go back in less than ONE WEEK *starts to burst in tears  
  
*Wipes tears away  
  
Well anyway, thank you guys so much for reading and reviewing and shame on the ones that don't! Next chappie up soon!  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~ 


	8. Chapter 8

Unperfect Fairytale by DemonMiko  
  
~*~Chapter 8~*~  
  
Inuyasha leaped silently from tree to tree until he was right behind Yura and Kikyo. He was well hidden in a thick tree so he didn't have to worry about being found. Mei momentarily reappeared in the same tree. The two in front of them started talking once they were sure there was no one else around.  
  
"Yura do we have everything?" Kikyo asked firmly.  
  
"Not quite Kikyo. We still need two more things." Yura said with her hands on her hip.  
  
Kikyo's eyes narrowed, "Which two items?"  
  
"The hair from the heir and his one current love." Yura replied calmly. "They're no big deal. We can just get them later on. The tricky part is to somehow get three long strands without them noticing. The only problem is who his love is. It could be either of those mikos. Kagome doesn't seem to like him that much but he seems to like her and Mei likes to talk to him quite frequently."  
  
A wicked smile appeared on Kikyo's face, "The strands from the heir won't be hard. I'll just sweet-talk him. It's those mikos you have to watch out for. He likes to talk with all of them a lot."  
  
"He never seems to pay attention to you." Yura pointed out.  
  
"That's why I stole this potion from the stupid miko's purse." Kikyo held out a small lotus flower jar. "Inside is a powerful love potion, if I'm not mistaken. We just need to finish gathering all the ingredients to complete it."  
  
Back in the tree Mei began to seethe. She whispered to Inuyasha, "I don't know how but she got a hold of my potion. I was pretty sure I lost it on the voyage over here. Why that."  
  
"Shut up!" Inuyasha hissed.  
  
"But."  
  
"Shut up."  
  
Mei slipped her ring back on and leapt down to the ground. She tiptoed beside Kikyo and lifted up the lotus flower jar from her purse. Kikyo was turned the other way facing Yura so she didn't notice. Mei slid her jar into her purse and went back to the tree.  
  
Kikyo reached a hand behind her to get the jar but it wasn't there. A worried look crossed her face.  
  
"What is it?" Yura asked. "Did you loose the jar?"  
  
"Yes, I think I dropped it."  
  
"Wouldn't it break if you dropped it?"  
  
"Shut up and help me find it!" Kikyo snapped.  
  
After a while of searching they pronounced it 'lost' and left the clearing. Kikyo was fuming all the way out.  
  
They stayed silent for a few minutes until they were sure that Kikyo and Yura weren't coming back. When they finally leaped out of the tree Inuyasha looked at Mei as if wanting an explanation.  
  
"What?" Mei asked after a while of silence.  
  
"What's in that lotus flower? Is it a love potion?"  
  
Mei shifted her gaze around for a while before saying, "I can tell you that it isn't a love potion but I can't tell you exactly that what it is. Not even Kagome and Sango know about what is in this jar. I told them that it was a face powder."  
  
Inuyasha looked confused, "You don't wear face powder."  
  
"I know that and so did Kagome and Sango. So I told them it was saved for important events."  
  
"So what's in the jar?" He asked again.  
  
She shook her head, "I'm sorry but no. I came to give you information on Kagome, not so you could find out my secret. I can't tell you until after I tell them."  
  
Inuyasha reluctantly let the subject go, "What can you tell me about Kagome this time?"  
  
"Well I can tell you that her birthday will be in three weeks. She loves pastries, and archery sets as you already know, and. Wait a minute, you didn't collect your prize yet."  
  
He shrugged, "I'm waiting to collect that wager. "  
  
"I don't want to know. Well, if we were back home the Queen would throw Kagome a large birthday feast on the evening of her birthday. Usually before the feast, the three of us would go riding through the meadows and the forest and by the streams. Then we would go swimming in our favorite lake. On our way back to the castle we would race one another and the winner would get something from the other two. But that would only happen if we were back home."  
  
Inuyasha thought about it for a while. Once or twice he almost said something but shut his mouth again. Finally after Mei dipped her feet into the cool lake water for a good half hour he spoke, "There is a way that we could do that. Only instead of a feast we would have to have a ball. Sorry, it's Mother's policy on birthdays. Wait, aren't Kikyo and Kagome twins? Why don't they have the same birthday?"  
  
"Um. well. I. um." She trailed off into silent thinking. 'Think!' She told herself.  
  
"Kagome wanted her birthday to be the day of her Naming Ceremony. She wanted to be different from Kikyo." She thanked herself for coming up with such a good reason.  
  
"Right, so what day is Kikyo's birthday?"  
  
"We celebrated her birthday before we left on this journey."  
  
He nodded slightly. Then he looked up towards the sky. "I think we should be getting back, it's getting late."  
  
_ - _ - _ - _ - _ - _ - _  
  
Kagome breathed a breath of relief when she felt Mei's aura again. She and Shippo had decided that Mei would be fine. So they went shopping around for a bit.  
  
'Boy is she going to get an ear-full when she gets back here.' Kagome promised herself.  
  
_ - _ - _ - _ - _ - _ - _  
  
Sango felt slightly bad about knocking out Miroku so she watched him to make sure he was fine. She just soaked another one of her handkerchiefs and knelt down to apply it to his head. As soon as she did she knew it was a mistake. His hand wandered to where it didn't belong.  
  
"Miroku, I'm giving you until the count of five to get your damn hand off my ass."  
  
"One."  
  
Miroku didn't move.  
  
"Two."  
  
He still didn't move.  
  
She was getting ticked, "FIVE!"  
  
She slapped him over the head with her fist. This time he got up.  
  
"What was that for?" He asked while snatching the damp cloth from Sango and pressing it to his head.  
  
"Your hands were in places they don't belong."  
  
Before he could yell in response, they saw Yura and Kikyo emerge from the forest a bit farther downstream.  
  
"Isn't that.?" Miroku began.  
  
"Yeah, it's Yura and Kikyo. So what were they doing in the forest?"  
  
They turned in the other direction and headed in the direction of the palace.  
  
"I can tell you." A new voice cut in.  
  
"Mei!" Sango yelled. When she turned around she was surprised to find her riding on Inuyasha's back. "What are you doing?"  
  
Inuyasha set Mei down and went off to find Kagome and Shippo.  
  
"Oh, when I left you guys, I thought I felt a faint demon aura so I followed it. I didn't want you guys to worry so I just left quietly. It led into the forest so I went in and after a bit of time I turned back and then I got my foot caught in these nearly hidden roots and I twisted my ankle. It doesn't hurt much now though. Then Inuyasha found me a little bit later and helped me out. He was probably the aura I felt earlier. Besides, I saw Kikyo and Yura. I had to know what they were doing so I followed them." She said. 'Well at least the part about twisting my ankle was true.' She thought to herself.  
  
"MEI! SANGO!" They heard a voice call out. Kagome leaped off Inuyasha's back and ran towards Mei. "Are you OK? What happened? Where'd you go earlier? Why?"  
  
She told Kagome the same thing she told Sango. When she finished Kagome looked mortified.  
  
"So you can't walk?" Shippo asked from Kagome's shoulder.  
  
Sadly, Mei shook her head, "Not for at least two weeks. I've done this to myself before." She relaxed. 'At least they forgot about Kikyo.'  
  
"Well," Sango began, "first things first, we have to get her back to the palace."  
  
_ - _ - _ - _ - _ - _ - _  
  
Queen Madoka's first reaction to Mei was exactly what a mother would do. She started asking question after question.  
  
"What happened? Where? What where you doing? Why?"  
  
Inuyasha soothed his mother, "Mother, please. Leave her alone."  
  
"Please ma'am. Mei needs her rest." Kagome reasoned.  
  
Madoka reluctantly let Sango and Kagome take Mei to her room.  
  
After they placed Mei on her bed they didn't leave. Instead they sat down on the end of her bed.  
  
"Why where you with Inuyasha?" Kagome demanded.  
  
"Yeah, and why didn't you tell us why Kikyo and Yura were in the forest?" Sango added.  
  
"Ok." She hesitated. 'What am I going to say?' She tried again, "I told you guys that I felt an aura so I followed it into the forest. After a while I lost the aura so I turned back. Then, right before I twisted by ankle, I saw Kikyo and Yura so I leapt up onto a tree branch. They were talking about a spell of some sort that included 'a hair from the heir and his current love'. Do you have any idea what kind of spell that would be?" Mei slyly changed the subject.  
  
Kagome seemed confused. "A spell?"  
  
"That is what it sounds like." Sango said.  
  
"We'll do research on this and you'll rest." Kagome told Mei.  
  
Mei looked cross. "There is no way I'm laying on this bed for two weeks. I have a way I can get around. Just a small transportation scroll that I used last time I did this to myself. I am going to help you guys with this too."  
  
"No. You are going to relax for two weeks." Sango said firmly.  
  
'Not if I can help it.'  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
I hope you guys liked this chappie. Well, I found some extra time to write because I'm feeling a little under the weather. Anyway, school's been great and thanks to all of your support.  
  
Shira is going to be in the next one and so will a new Mei. That's just to leave all of you in suspense. ^_^  
  
Remember to review! It's very easy: just click the button on the bottom of the page. ^^  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~ 


	9. Chapter 9

Unperfect Fairytale by DemonMiko  
  
~*~Chapter 9~*~  
  
A rustle in the bushes caused Shira to turn her head. She breathed in the scent of another wolf.  
  
"Kouga. You're late."  
  
He leaped up and out of the bushes looking at his younger sibling evilly. Under his arms were packages. Shira noticed the parcels and grinned.  
  
"These are yours." Kouga tossed the packages at her feet.  
  
She bent down and picked them up. A rare smile crossed her face as she opened her packages.  
  
"They're perfect Kouga. OK, so what do you want me to do first? I'm listening." She slid her brand new kodachis into their sheaths.  
  
"You know how only Inuyasha knows that you're my sister? Well I'm going to build up on that. I want you to go to the Queen and request for a job in the castle. She has a kind heart. You'll most likely become a maid. When you know where in the castle Kagome and her friends are, go there and eavesdrop on them. Report to me at least once a week. Got it?" Kouga ordered.  
  
"Of course but don't forget my second request." With that Shira vanished into the leaves above.  
  
'Wonderful,' Kouga thought gleefully, 'now nothing can stand between me and my woman.'  
  
_ - _ - _ - _ - _ - _ - _  
  
A knock came on Kikyo's door suddenly. Quickly she motioned for Yura to put away what they were doing.  
  
"Just a minute." She called to the knocker. To Yura she hissed, "Hurry up and help me." Another knock sounded on the door. "In a minute."  
  
As she swung the door open, she stood face to face with Inuyasha.  
  
"Oh, I'm so sorry to have kept you waiting."  
  
"It's not a problem." Inuyasha said. "Listen, a group of us are going on a picnic in the mountains. So would you care to join us?" All of this was said with a rehearsed tone but Kikyo wasn't paying attention to that.  
  
"You're inviting me?"  
  
"You, Yura, Kagome, Sango, Mei, Miroku, Kouga, and Shippo are all invited to go." Inuyasha replied. "So are you guys coming along or what?"  
  
Yura nodded when Kikyo looked back for help. "We'll go with you."  
  
"Great." Inuyasha said, his words dripping with sarcasm.  
  
_ - _ - _ - _ - _ - _ - _  
  
Kagome grabbed Inuyasha's collar as soon as he walked into the Grand Entrance Hall where everyone waited with their packs by their feet and weapons either in its sheath or across their back. "Well?" They waited.  
  
Inuyasha grumbled an answer.  
  
"What was that Inuyasha?" Sango asked, "We can't hear you."  
  
"I said 'they'll be down in about half and hour'." He yelled.  
  
Everyone groaned at that answer.  
  
Kouga glared at him, "Why in the world do they need half and hour? Who told you to invite them anyway? I didn't think that they liked spending the night under the stars like the rest of us do."  
  
"If you really must know, it was Kagome." He grinned.  
  
Kouga turned to Kagome, "My deepest apologies, Kagome."  
  
"No problem Kouga. I only wanted to be nice to the. Even though they put me through a ton of trouble, I'm still willing to forgive them." She smiled.  
  
Inuyasha glared at the sight, 'Why doesn't she ever smile like that at me? What the hell am I thinking?'  
  
Sango noticed the glaring and made a note of it. "Has anyone seen Mei?"  
  
"You're right. Where did she go? Oh well, she must've gone to get something she forgot." Miroku said.  
  
In reality she was right in front of them all. She had slipped on her ring of invisibility. She tiptoed into the kitchen to fill her pack with foods that Kagome enjoyed. Kagome's birthday happened to be in two days, by the time they returned to the castle, but she kept her mouth shut all week by not telling anyone. Too bad that she was a friend of Mei's.  
  
The week before, when Mei still had to rest in bed because of her ankle, Miroku and Sango dragged Inuyasha into Mei's little parlor to discuss Kagome's birthday. After a ton of argument, they decided on a picnic/camping trip at the foot of the mountains. Madoka demanded to know what she could do when she brought Mei her lunch. They told her that she could plan a ball for Kagome, nothing too fancy though, just enough for a bit of fun. Her eyes lit up and she rushed out to start preparations. She had a new gown made and everything.  
  
Mei searched the pantries until she found exactly what she was looking for. A cake would not have survived the journey to the mountains but cookies would. Madoka had baked these for them just the night before while everyone slept. It had been Sango's idea to add a special treat. She also stuffed extra bread, water, herbal potions, her herb book, fruits, some candy, and three glow globes into her pack.  
  
She walked out to the Grand Entrance Hall in time to see Kikyo and Yura descending the stairway, packs in hand. They walked up to Inuyasha, Kikyo first and second Yura, and asked, "Exactly how long is this picnic going to be?"  
  
"Oh, only about two or three days if you count today." He grinned at the horrified looks on their faces.  
  
Yura stepped up, "I'm sorry dear, but I've changed my mind about going. I'll stay here."  
  
Kikyo looked displeased.  
  
"Well Kikyo? Are you going to go or stay?" Inuyasha asked with a smirk.  
  
A determined look crossed her pale face. "I'm going."  
  
_ - _ - _ - _ - _ - _ - _  
  
The first part of their journey was on horseback and the second half was on foot. Of course, Kouga and Inuyasha insisted on going the whole journey on foot, being demons and all. Kikyo kept riding up next to Inuyasha and batting her eyelashes until he noticed and jumped ahead. Each time she saw this, Kagome's blood boiled. Finally, when the pressure reached extreme pressure, she actually exploded.  
  
"Kikyo, leave Inuyasha alone!" Everyone stopped to look at her. "Sorry about that guys. I guess it's just the heat." She lied. True the heat was unbearable but she still lied. Sango handed her a canteen of water. Kagome took it gratefully.  
  
"Hey Kagome it's fine." Mei pulled Kagome to the back with her and they started whispering. "So what exactly what was that about?" She asked in a hushed whisper.  
  
She struggled for a moment. "I guess I just got a bit heated up at Kikyo's behavior and the sun was pretty hot so..."  
  
"Something to do with Inuyasha?" Mei asked.  
  
"Ye. no!"  
  
"Don't worry Kagome. When have I ever told someone else's secret?"  
  
"Never." Kagome replied with a sigh. "I just feel a little weird by admitting that I kinda like that selfish jerk. Just a little. He's a prince. Besides, I don't think he'll like me if I told him this whole princess thing was fake not to mention that he's betrothed to Kikyo."  
  
The group stopped for a rest in the middle of the forest about halfway to the mountains. It was right next to a shimmering lake and the sun was high in the sky. They tied the horses next to a stream. By that time, the heat had made them all cranky so Sango gingerly stuck her foot into the cool water.  
  
"Hey guys, the water's great!" Everyone jumped in behind her. All except Kikyo, she decided to stay dry.  
  
'I never knew.' Kikyo thought, bewildered. 'They aren't my enemies. They're not too horrible; it's just that I never even gave them a chance. Of course Kagome's still a rival to me no matter what. Mother thinks that she is so wonderful; well I'll prove her wrong. No matter what happens I have to carry out my plan. Inuyasha is mine!' She glanced at Kagome. Kagome smiled at her. 'How can she smile at me like that after all the trouble I caused her? No matter I mustn't be distracted from my true goal. She's only a common miko while I'm the heir to the throne. There is no way she can out do me.'  
  
Kagome waved at her to join them, "Come on in Kikyo, the waters great!" Everyone splashed at her until she joined the group in the water and splashed them all back. They rested by the lake for a few hours to allow their clothes to dry before moving out again. Just after that, for the first time that day, Shippo emerged from Kagome's pack. He yawned a huge yawn and looked around with a confused look on his face.  
  
"Good afternoon Shippo." Kagome smiled.  
  
"Where are we?" He asked, rubbing his eyes still full of sleep.  
  
"Well it's about time you woke up." Inuyasha growled at him from a tree branch.  
  
Shippo turned to run back into the pack but Inuyasha grabbed his fluffy tail and held him up to his face. "Do you have any idea what time it is?" Shippo shook his head cautiously. "I'll tell ya, it's almost time for dinner." Then Inuyasha dropped him onto the cold, hard ground.  
  
"What?! You mean I slept for that long?" He wailed as he scrambled  
  
"Shippo, I know you haven't eaten yet and it's almost dinner but do you want a snack?" Shippo quickly nodded and dove headfirst into the bag. He quickly emerged with a small tangerine.  
  
"Hey Kagome." Mei called back to her, "I'm going to go ahead. I'll wait for you guys at the foot of the mountain. If I'm not there just wait for a few hours."  
  
Kagome nodded in response, "Be careful."  
  
Behind Kagome's back Kikyo reached out and plucked three long, silky strands of hair. Kagome quickly put her hand to her head. The movement caught Kouga's eye.  
  
"Is there a problem over there Kagome?" Inuyasha turned curiously.  
  
"No, just probably a branch that caught my hair and plucked out a few strands. No big deal." Kagome smiled. By this time Mei was out of sight.  
  
_ - _ - _ - _ - _ - _ - _  
  
'Oh, I know that I shouldn't ride ahead of you Kagome but I have no choice. I just hope that Kikyo hasn't gotten strands of your hair yet. If she has then I pray that she doesn't get Inuyasha's. Otherwise I'll be too late to help you.' Mei rode beyond the foot of the mountains and over to the other side as fast as her stallion would go. 'Please let it not be too late.'  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Did you like? Well I did! ^^ Now I know that you all are close to killing me by now. Some more than others  
  
*Cough* (Amy!) *Cough*  
  
I have no idea how long it'll take me to post next but look for it within a month. Maybe sooner. ^_^ Just make sure you review!  
  
No reviews = No new chappies ( 


	10. Chapter 10

Unperfect Fairytale by DemonMiko  
  
~*~Chapter 10~*~  
  
The sun was sinking quickly as the group neared their destination. By that time, the sun had lessened its intensity and a cool breeze swept over the tired and exhausted group. A little while back, they began their second part of their journey on foot when they put their horses into one of the many Royal Stables. At the stable one of the stable hands informed them that their friend had passed by about and hour or two before and told them that she would set up camp for them.  
  
Now as they emerged from the dark, cool forest, they came upon an already set up camp next to a small stream.  
  
"Wow! Mei really out-did herself." Sango commented.  
  
Kouga nodded, "Wonder where she is though."  
  
"I, too, have been wondering about that." Miroku stated. He had been unusually quiet the whole journey and everyone turned to look at him. "What!?"  
  
"Sorry Miroku, you've been so quiet and non-lecherous the whole time I completely forgot about you." Sango apologized with a giggle.  
  
"My dear Sango, I feel so hurt."  
  
"Would you two quit with the dramatics already?" Inuyasha barked.  
  
"Yeah, we need to fix up our sleeping areas." Kagome replied cheerily. Then she noticed that someone was missing. No, not Mei but Kikyo. "Umm, where'd Kikyo go?"  
  
For the first time that journey, the group panicked. They had no idea where the Princess went. And so Inuyasha took charge.  
  
"Listen up: Kouga you scout around the area for her scent. Miroku search on foot and back-track. Kagome, Sango you two stay here incase she comes back. I'll search the area." The group replied to him with nods.  
  
"Hey! What about me?" Shippo inquired.  
  
Inuyasha looked at him carefully. "You stay here."  
  
_ - _ - _ - _ - _ - _ - _  
  
Mei panted heavily as she came upon a cool cave. She scanned the area for any forms of life following her. Finding nothing, she stepped into the damp cave and shivered. The evil in the area was covering her in a veil, weakening her senses greatly.  
  
She breathed in a calming breath and walked further into the cave. As she neared a small opening on the other side, she heard voices on the other side. As quietly as she could, she tip-toed to the entrance of the small chamber and heard that one of the voices was male and the other female.  
  
The male voice sounded irritated. "I gave you specific orders and you evaded them. Do you dare do such a thing to me?"  
  
"I'm sorry Naraku, but I had another way of handling the situation." The female voice replied.  
  
Mei thought for a moment. 'Wait a minute,' her eyes widened in realization, 'that's Yura's voice. What would she be doing all the way out here?'  
  
"That amuses me Yura. Continue. How do you plan to handle the situation?" The first voice, Naraku, asked coldly.  
  
"What I wished to do was to control the Princesses Kikyo and Kagome. All I need is a jewel shard or two to complete the job. "  
  
'How does she not know that Kagome is not a princess? Did Kikyo not bother to tell her or did she only think that 'Miko' was a nickname for Kagome? If that's the case, then she's even more stupid than I imagined. Oh, and what shards are she talking about?' Mei thought to herself.  
  
"Listen, in an ancient scroll I discovered, I found a spell for mind and body control of a person. Any person I wished that is. And. . . ."  
  
"You wanted to 'possess' Kikyo and Kagome to take over their reigning Dynasty." Naraku finished for her.  
  
"How did you know? Of course, even Kikyo doesn't know about that. All she knows that I need some strands of hair and a shard or two." Yura questioned.  
  
"I have my sources." He chuckled. "Why are you standing around for? Get moving!"  
  
"Oh, but I already have. Kikyo won't know what hit her." Yura snickered.  
  
Mei unconsciously took a step backwards causing a pebble to roll. She stopped dead in her tracks.  
  
"What was that?" Naraku demanded.  
  
"I don't know."  
  
"Don't just stand there! Find out who or what it is and bring it to me." He ordered.  
  
Mei heard footsteps heading in her direction. Her breathing faltered for a split second and she saw a shadow being cast in Yura's shape and form. . .  
  
_ - _ - _ - _ - _ - _ - _  
  
"Kikyo!"  
  
The dark forest echoed with the calling of Kikyo's name. They had been searching for close to an hour now and there was still no sign of Kikyo.  
  
At the campsite, Sango and Kagome walked around impatiently for the group to return. Hopefully, with Kikyo.  
  
"Kagome: stop panicking like that. Don't worry, they'll find her." Sango comforted her friend.  
  
"I was in charge of where she went and what she did around here. I was ordered by the Queen to protect and watch her daughter and now I've failed. What will I do? If I go back there without Kikyo people will think that something's wrong and if I don't go back there people will know that something is wrong." Kagome broke out into soft sobs in the middle of her sentences.  
  
Shippo sat on Kagome's knees and looked up at her. "Come on Kagome. You can't cry. You're strong. Please don't cry!" Shippo pleaded to his friend. When she didn't stop crying, Shippo began to have tears falling down his face. "Kagome, it's not your fault that Kikyo isn't here right now. So please, don't cry anymore."  
  
Sango patted her friend on the back until her salty tears subsided. 'What a lousy birthday week this has been for Kagome.'  
  
"I guess we'll have to see what happens later." Kagome finally decided. She wiped away one last tear.  
  
_ - _ - _ - _ - _ - _ - _  
  
Kikyo hastily placed the small glass bottle containing the hair and resumed picking up miscellaneous herbs when she heard some twigs snapping just a few feet away from where she stood. She heard her name being called for the past half hour and ignored it. To her it didn't matter if people worried about where she was as long as she got to do what she wanted to do.  
  
The first thing that Inuyasha saw as he neared a clearing was Kikyo sprinkling something strange into a bottle that contained something that was too small for him to see. A squirrel jumped from a branch to the ground and snapped some twigs.  
  
'Damn squirrel! He blew my cover.' Inuyasha resisted strangling the innocent squirrel. Instead he started walking towards Kikyo.  
  
"There you are! Do you know how damn worried we all are?" Inuyasha barked.  
  
"I was merely collecting some herbs that Yura requested." Kikyo answered simply.  
  
"I don't care what you were doing. You have to get to camp now!" Inuyasha yelled.  
  
"Alright. . . I'll go to camp now." She replied to Inuyasha coldly.  
  
They walked back to camp in silence. Kikyo ahead so she wouldn't escape again. Inuyasha grumbling to himself mentally about a damn squirrel blowing his cover the whole way.  
  
As soon as Kikyo stepped into camp, Kagome ran and hugged her.  
  
"Where in the world did you go? You know that the Queen or rather, Mother wanted me to be with you at all times." Kagome scolded her 'sister'. When she noticed that she was hugging Kikyo, the 'evil' Kikyo, like a worried sister, Kagome let go and jumped back.  
  
Kikyo's eyes narrowed as Kagome said the word 'sister' but didn't do anything about it. "I'll make sure to inform you where I'll be next time."  
  
Kouga entered the camp only a few seconds later. He almost said that he couldn't find Kikyo but stopped at the sight of her surrounded by Kagome and the others.  
  
"Looks like everyone's back." Miroku told Sango quietly. By now everyone was finishing off their dinners. Sango and Miroku were sent off to collect firewood on a suggestion of Kagome's.  
  
Sango nodded to what Miroku said and stopped abruptly. "Not everyone. Mei's still not back yet and she said that she would be back soon. Unless something bad happened . . . to her. . ." Sango broke off.  
  
Her eyes narrowed in pure malice. "I knew that you couldn't drop your lechery for a day!"  
  
Miroku innocently snatched his hand away from where it was only seconds before. "Whatever do you mean?" One look at Sango showed him that he should start running away as fast as he could but he just stood there stupidly. He smiled in Sango's direction, turned, and ran back to the camp.  
  
"Oh, Miroku! Just where do you think you're going?" Sango ground out.  
  
When he heard this, he just kept running. 'Oh shit! What did I get myself into?'  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Oh I know what you're thinking now!  
  
"Will Sango kill Miroku? What happened to Mei? Why did you take so long to update?"  
  
I really have no idea what you're thinking right now. Oh well. . .  
  
Have a happy Thanksgiving weekend (for all of you that go to school) ^_^ I know I will. And I'll try to get another chappie in before the break is over. . . Keyword is 'TRY'.  
  
( I'm happy. You know why? No, not the weekend but I finally got a screen name! It's DemonFoxL so AIM me sometime. *hint, hint* 


	11. Chapter 11

Unperfect Fairytale by DemonMiko  
  
~*~Chapter 11~*~  
  
The camp scene was relatively peaceful as Kikyo and Kagome worked more or less together to make dinner for the group. Delicious aromas wafted through the camp area. Kouga and Inuyasha were sent off to haul water from a nearby stream and Sango and Miroku were 'getting' firewood.  
  
"Where could they be with the firewood?" Kagome asked.  
  
Kikyo replied without much thought, "How should I know where your friends are?" She sat down on a large rock.  
  
"Do you two really have to keep arguing?" Shippo asked. The two ignored him.  
  
"Whatever. . ." Kagome muttered. 'I don't believe I actually was worried about her! She's still the same as she was as a little kid. The same spoiled brat she was before her dad died.'  
  
"HELP ME!" The cry echoed through the now dark forest.  
  
"That's Miroku! We have to help him." Shippo exclaimed.  
  
Kagome stood up urgently. "Kikyo: That means that we need to help him."  
  
"I don't feel like helping your friends." She turned her head away.  
  
"Come on, this is no time to argue with me!"  
  
"You're the one making a big deal about this."  
  
"Why you little. . ." Kagome was cut off her sentence as Inuyasha and Kouga ran back into camp.  
  
Kouga looked around, "What's happening?"  
  
"Is Miroku in trouble?" Inuyasha strained his ears for better hearing.  
  
"MIROKU, I'LL BASH YOUR HEAD IN WITH MY BARE HANDS!" Sango's voice echoed dangerously in the forest.  
  
Miroku ran straight into camp with quite a number of bumps on his head. After a few seconds of looking around frantically, he headed towards Kagome.  
  
"Kagome, you have to save me! Sango's after me!"  
  
Sango emerged from the dark forest not long after. She glared at Miroku evilly. "Kagome, move aside now." Sango had her hand on the boomerang. "That lecher deserves this." She took aim.  
  
"Sango, I know that Miroku is a lecher but do you really think he deserves the full strength of the boomerang? I mean, what'd he do this time?" Kagome tried to plead with her friend.  
  
She nodded her head. "Yes, yes I think he does. He needs to experience more pain to knock some sense into that thick skull of his."  
  
By this time Kouga, Kikyo, Inuyasha, and Shippo had stepped aside, leaving Kagome to stand between Sango and Miroku.  
  
"Please, please Sango, spare me. I only groped you slightly." Miroku tried to defend himself when Kagome finally stepped aside.  
  
"'Only', what do you mean 'only'?" Sango demanded. Her weapon still raised in the air dangerously.  
  
When he saw that nothing was going to make her calm down, Miroku did the only thing he could think of that would possibly save him: he groveled for mercy at Sango's feet.  
  
"Please spare me Sango. I didn't mean to do it. I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Please, please spare me." He begged until she couldn't take it any longer.  
  
Sango glared at him. "Fine. You live . . . for now."  
  
"I am eternally grateful." Miroku bowed an exaggerated bow and ran off to 'talk' to Inuyasha and Kouga. (a/n: more like seek shelter from them)  
  
Dinner was eaten quickly and peacefully. Shortly after, Kagome and Sango claimed they were tired and went to grab their bedrolls. They dragged their makeshift beds away from the boys' side of the camp and away from Kikyo's bedroll. Sango chose a nice spot by near some hot springs and away from Miroku's spying gaze.  
  
Back around the fire, the three boys watched Kikyo's every move.  
  
Finally she lost her patience in ten minutes, "What?!" She hissed.  
  
"Kagome said to keep and eye on you." Kouga responded with a yawn.  
  
"Yeah I'm doing this because Kagome asked me to, although I don't know why I'm actually listening." Inuyasha grumbled.  
  
Kikyo calmly returned the stare, "Well then, if you want to stare at me then I'll return the favor." Her icy gaze started to scare Inuyasha.  
  
He couldn't see or feel any emotion behind her icy orbs. Yet her gaze seemed to pierce into his soul. Kouga was having the same feeling as Inuyasha was. His soul felt frozen until Kikyo finally looked away, seemingly centuries later and apparently bored.  
  
"I don't feel like having a staring contest with you boys." She got up and headed to her bedroll.  
  
As soon as she was out of earshot, Kouga relaxed. "God, I didn't think she would ever stop staring."  
  
"I'm not sure if I could have stood that any longer." Inuyasha agreed with Kouga for once.  
  
"Where's Miroku?" Inuyasha had a strange feeling gnawing at the edge of his mind. 'What if . . .?"  
  
"HELP!" Sango's and Kagome's voices rang through the forest. "Inuyasha! Kouga! Hurry!"  
  
'That's gotta be Miroku again.' Kouga shook his head. "Let's go before Miroku gets killed."  
  
They rushed to the clearing but they didn't find a lumpy-headed Miroku as they expected. Miroku stood by the girls with a distressed look on his face. Kikyo and Shippo were kneeling down next to Sango and Kagome, both of whom had their heads bowed low. Inuyasha and Kouga both smelled blood and salty tears.  
  
'What the hell could that scent of blood come from?' Kouga asked himself.  
  
Inuyasha was about to ask aloud what happened when Miroku gave him a hard look. That look told him not to speak now. Kouga saw the look from the monk too and kept his mouth shut.  
  
A second later Miroku motioned for them to head back to the campfire. Then he disappeared into the dark forest. The boys took this as their sign to leave.  
  
At the fire, they saw Miroku with his eyes shut tight. He was on his knees, in a prayer.  
  
"Hey Miroku, what happened back there?" Inuyasha half asked half demanded his friend.  
  
The monk stayed silent. This irritated Inuyasha to no end. He never liked being ignored. Just as he was about to kill Miroku himself Kouga hissed at him. "Don't you see your friend is trying to pray? Leave him be."  
  
"I don't fucking care! I want to know what happened now!" Inuyasha hissed right back.  
  
"That temper of yours is going to get you killed some day, you know that?" Kouga shot back.  
  
Inuyasha shut his mouth. His hands balled up into fists, ready to strike. Instead he grabbed the front of Miroku's robes.  
  
"Tell me what happened! Now!"  
  
The voice Miroku spoke in was not his own. This voice was serious. "Calm your fury Inuyasha. Kouga you might as well relax too. Listen carefully: not too long ago, Sango and Kagome's friend Mei stumbled back into the camp."  
  
"That's good." Kouga interrupted.  
  
"I'm not finished yet Kouga. Mei entered the camp covered in claw marks, blood, and she was loosing lots of it fast. She collapsed as soon as she entered that clearing. Kagome and Sango rushed to her side, luckily she was still breathing but just very faintly. They started to clean up her wounds when she tried to get up. As soon as she tried she fell back down to the ground again. Kikyo was there the whole time trying to get Mei comfortable and Kagome sent Sango to find me. Sango told me to find a book in Mei's pack called 'Mystical Items'. It looked harmless but it slipped from my hands and fell to the ground as I was walking through the forest to the clearing. The book fell open to a marked page. The section was titled the 'Shikon Jewel'. It has the same name as the islands. Do you know anything about it?"  
  
Kouga and Inuyasha both nodded. "Yeah, we know about the Shikon Jewel. Legend tells of this jewel being the desire of demons. It is said that the jewel can grant any wish the holder has. The Shikon is pure power and even a tiny sliver of it will increase a demon's power at least one hundred times over."  
  
"Of course that's only a legend. It's not supposed to be real."  
  
"Shippo told me that Mei was muttering strange things. He told me that she was saying things like 'don't let him have it . . . we can't trust her . . .' Kagome asked her 'who' and she didn't reply. Mei was tossing and turning earlier before you guys arrived but she calmed down and fell asleep right after Kagome gave her an herbal tea. The last word Mei said before falling asleep was 'Naraku'."  
  
Inuyasha thought for a bit. "OK, fine. I don't give a shit what happened to her. We're heading back home as soon as everyone gets a good rest. I need to contact someone back home."  
  
"And who would that be Inuyasha? Your mother?" Kouga asked with a grin.  
  
"Ha, ha very funny Wimpy Wolf. I'm not talking about my mother. I'm talking about someone else. Someone I haven't seen for a long time."  
  
Miroku caught on to the bitterness in Inuyasha's voice. "God, don't go there Inuyasha! You know what happened last time."  
  
"Yeah but this time I have a good reason."  
  
"OK, whatever. Go ahead and get yourself killed." Miroku gave up the argument. By now he learned that his friend had a skull like a brick wall.  
  
All the while Kouga watched the two in confusion. 'What the hell could they be talking about?'  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
That took me forever and I know it! Well I hope everyone had a great Winter Break. I'm going to leave all of you in suspense while I run from an angry mob led by none other than Amy.  
  
Bye (and pray I live to write another chapter. Of course you know I'll finish this story, it's just getting to the good part.) ^^ 


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